For

Close shave, works for both wet and dry shaves, use in the shower

Against

Expensive, cleaning and power dock extra

So you've bought a 3D television, you've got your 3D Blu-ray player, now all you need is your 3D electric shaver, no? The Philips SensoTouch 3D electric shaver plays on the idea that the blades offer a three dimension shaving experience and buy into the buzzword de jour. Luckily for us you don't have to wear active shutter glasses whilst you get your shave on.

So what are they like? Turns out the promise of a rather gentle shave is actually rather correct. Our experience so far has been a shave on the Philips stand at IFA, in Berlin, Germany, where we put set it to task on 3 days worth of weary trade show stubble.

The SensoTouch 3D uses a range of Philips technologies. GyroFlex 3D is "the distinctive three-dimensional component that allows the shaver to perfectly follow the unique contours of the face". UltraTrack is "the new innovative shaver head that gives a close shave and keeps skin irritation to a minimum" and Aquatec is "an inbuilt seal that allows men the versatility to choose between a comfortable dry shave and a refreshing wet shave for those who prefer to use a gel".

In reality that all means you get three circular blades in a triangle formation that work to raise then cut the hair on your face, hugging your face in the process, giving you a clean shave whether wet or dry. Whether that means you using a gel over the sink or in the shower is up to you, but it does allow those worried about shaving dry the option to shave wet.

A simple touch sensitive on off switch glows at you, inviting you to turn it on and those wishing to push the boat out further can get an optional docking station to charge and clean when it's not on your face. Our shave was wet. Three days growth challenged it to the extent that we know a wet shave would be quicker, although the results were very good.

On a blind test with a couple of male and female friends, those that we kissed when prompted afterwards said our face was very smooth, with one going as far as saying it was "baby soft". It might be expensive (£300) but if you are after those kind of complements, this will help deliver them.

Verdict

We've only had the one shave with the Philips SensoTouch 3D shaver but as far as electric shavers go we were impressed.

However, we can't believe that the a simple Gillette razer wouldn't produce equally good results for a fraction of the cost. Thankfully we all have choices galore when it comes to shaving and if you're after a versatile electric shaver this might be just the ticket.